As Indiana attempted to ascend to the ranks of a true championship contender, Bonner's sudden exit had the potential to derail a transformational offseason. Instead, the Fever have made the most of a suboptimal situation and find themselves deeper than they were when the season began.

When the Indiana Fever signed six-time All-Star and two-time WNBA champion DeWanna Bonner during the offseason, fans rejoiced that the team brought in a veteran with championship experience. Fever fans thought they were getting a rock star legend who averaged double-digit points for 15 straight seasons and could help alleviate some of the pressure on stars Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston to carry the team by themselves.